Injuries minor in school bus accident

Five students were taken to King's Daughters' Hospital with minor injuries after the school bus they were on was involved in an accident Friday afternoon.

The Madison Consolidated Schools bus, driven by Ralph Bliton Jr. of Madison, was eastbound on State Road 62 near Simmonds Road when the right-side rear dual tires went off the road and struck a culvert, Sheriff John Wallace said.

The outside right rear dual tire was slit and beginning to come off the rim after the impact.

Ten students and the driver were on the bus at the time of the incident around 4 p.m.

"Several students were jarred around," Wallace said.

The five students transported to the hospital had minor injuries, including scrapes and bruises. Some of the students complained of pain to their arms and legs, Wallace said.

Bliton also was transported to the hospital for drug and alcohol testing, which is the district's standard procedure after an accident.

The bus had just come down a steep hill when it left the road. Bliton corrected the bus, navigated a corner, missed a utility pole and pulled the bus to the side of the road about 80 yards after hitting the culvert.

"Where he pulled over was the best spot he could have," Wallace said.

Bliton was close to the end of his route, which goes into the Scotts Ridge and Canaan areas, when the accident happened.

Parents and guardians of the students were notified of the accident by school officials and law enforcement.